Truth is, I’m not an adventurous reader. As a book lover, I really should be, but I often find myself sticking stubbornly to one genre. At age 12, I was a diehard R.L. Stine fan and proclaimed myself a horror-exclusive reader. Then at 14, I discovered Harry Potter and made that series my entire personality. My late 20s were dominated by thrillers, and it wasn’t until recently that I’ve tried something new: nonfiction.
For many staunch fiction readers like moi, nonfiction can feel like an intimidating genre. I enjoy a good story with an engrossing narrative, and nonfiction, depending on the title you pick, can read like a boring college lecture. I’ve dabbled with a few, and so far these are the seven genuinely enjoyable nonfiction books that kept me turning the page.
These books are just a stepping stone to my nonfiction journey, with Devil in the White City as my current read to be followed by Kingmaker. I may keep this nonfiction streak, I may not. Who knows — maybe I’ll try sci-fi this fall.